Yeah, I was only talking about the bubble Nets because obviously with Dinwiddie, Jordan, Prince and Chandler they are an entirely different and much better team. I'm really glad we don't have to play that team to get into the play-in. I am also glad that regardless of if they want to win this game the Nets won't be playing for anything and we will almost certainly be playing to continue or go home.
We lost to the clippers in an important game for us while they sat all sorts of guys and didn't care. Den and Philly we barely beat while they rested many key guys. If I was betting yes I'd take the Blazers... but any damn thing can happen one game, we could brick every open shot and they hit everything. We could play tight because it means so much and they play loose free hitting everything. At the end I just want to see hustle and smart execution for the blazers as what shots he goes in on any given night can be very random and fluky. Blazerkor I feel like you haven't followed this franchise... whenever it looks like we got something good for certain coming I am terrified of the disappointments.
So, since the Jazz/Spurs and Mavs/Suns are BOTH on TNT ... by rule, Utah and Dallas should not be resting their starters, right? We had to face a Dallas team going full strength and players their stars 30+ minutes, so I would hope the Spurs and Suns would face similar competition levels as well.
Coaches don’t change their game plan based on who is covering the game. I saw that mentioned somewhere else, that’s complete bullshit.
Is there any other explanation for why the Mavericks rested everyone on the first game of a back to back against Utah but played everyone big time minutes the following evening against the Blazers? Adam Silver has said in the past he does not want load management on nationally televised games, that's why I think that's one explanation. Today also has potential to be the most exciting day in the NBA since Game 6 of the Finals last year. Four teams, vying for two play-in spots, with minimal overlap. There's no way Silver is going to be cool with Gobert, Mitchell, KP, and Luka all on the bench when both of those games are nationally televised.
Sure, but the league can’t do anything to the teams. Nothing. There are no rules or precedence. Other than a few years back the front office saying they didn’t like that Pop and others were doing it. They can warn all day long, but the coaches and teams will do what they want.
I've been watching, our guys likely have to play this game like it's the most important game of the season because unless the Spurs, Suns and Grizz all lose their games this is a must win. Our guys have started off a few of the games in the bubble with a lack of a sense of urgency. If the game tonight is meaningful, I don't think a sense of urgency will be a problem, the only problem I can foresee is playing CJ when he is completely ineffective as he has been in the last two game but we overcame that against teams that are obviously better (forget about the Nets record, I've watching them too and they are one of the worst teams in the bubble) so I expect our guys to come out on top even if they play a shitty version of CJ for 40 minutes, which is also very likely.
I don't want to have to beat the Suns twice in a row but if it's us getting two cracks at beating them once, sign me up. I'd much rather have to face the Grizz and only beat them once but I think we will win against the Nets tonight and beat whoever it is (Suns, Grizz or Spurs) one out of our next two games, most likely the first game.
Suns and Grizz both have leads early. If the Suns maintain their lead we have to be rooting for the Grizz to win too right? A Suns win makes it so we have to win the game tonight or either be knocked out or in the unlikely event that the Grizz and Spurs lose we will have to play the Suns and beat them twice if we don't handle business against the Nets. So if the Suns win, we have to beat the Nets and I'd rather beat the Nets and face the Grizz, advancing after only having to beat them once.
Here's the simple version. The order is currently: 8) Portland 9) Memphis 10) Phoenix 11) Spurs If you win, you stay at the top. If you loose, you drop to the bottom. So Portland can get #8 with either 1) a win, or 2) have all 3 other teams loose. They can get #9 with having 2 of the 3 other teams loose. So yes - if the Suns win, then BOTH Memphis and Portland have to win to eliminate them from the play-in games.
Regardless of what happens, some on here will say it's a disaster either way. Make the playoffs: No chance at a top draft pick and we're going to get swept by the Lakers. Don't make the playoffs: They couldn't even make the playoffs and we're getting left behind by the young teams.
Me too... I also hope someday you're not such a killjoy. Man if I was a pessimistic fan like you it would be fucking miserable following any team, especially our team.
